Timestamp: 42nd of Fall, 516 AV
Aladari never grew bored of fishing. Though some complained that it was more waiting than doing, or more social than physical, all she had to do was remember the high of hooking a fish or the comfortable burn of rope in her hands, and she knew she was right. A girl belongs by the water.
Of course, that didn't mean she never lost her patience with the sport.
Some days it did seem that all she could do was sit and think, and the faint reminder of that high was all she had to hold on to. Today just happened to be one of those days.
In the absence of excitement, Aladari leaned back lax in her seat on the edge of the dock with her back against her sack full of supplies so she could watch Syna rise. As the sun made its painfully slow trek, Aladari let herself fall into a daydream about Isur-sized fish for fry, and a boat so smooth on the water it felt like flying. It was all rather peaceful for the first few ticks, just sharing headspace with Syna and Laviku. Then came the humans.
"An' I told him!" The sailor howled with laughter.
"That's that kinda discount whore!" He continued to whoop and snort his way down the dock, his companion clapping his back in an equal state of hilarity.
"That's whatcha get. Hmm, that's what I told him." The voice trailed off as he neared the fisherwoman at the end of the dock. "Aye!" He barked, already beginning to giggle again. "There's that whore now!"
Aladari closed her eyes tightly, as if it might render her invisible to the offenders. Unfortunately for her,
It would do no such thing. A hand on her shoulder reassured her of this.
"Aye, I'm talkin' to you, little one." He whispered near her head in a single heavy, alcohol-laced breath.
Little one?! Aladari couldn't keep her eyes from slamming open to glare at the man. A hot breath made its way out through her nose in a tense snort not unlike a bull's.
"Oh, there she is." Crooked teeth grinned down at her. "Hey, Potter! She's not even dead yet. Could be a good one, huh?"
"Please, Sir." She said through gritted teeth, "I'm workin' 'ere, an' yer scarin' all my fishes away."
The man recoiled as if he'd been hit. For a tick, he feined offense, but then his facade crumbled into laughter. "Oh, we're scarin' away your fish? You sure you ain't just a bad fisher, huh?"
That, naturally, was the last straw. Her eyes flashed an unnatural black darker than night, and her jaw clenched. But after the initial flare or anger, a plan hatched, and she forced herself to loosen her muscles.
"Maybe I am." She agreed with a sigh. "Maybe you two could learn me somethin', though? An' then I could give you somethin' in return?" She hoped desperately that he would pick up on the hint, as flirting was never her forte. Of course, when the idea was already on his mind, it was much easier to suggest.
Word Count516
Aladari never grew bored of fishing. Though some complained that it was more waiting than doing, or more social than physical, all she had to do was remember the high of hooking a fish or the comfortable burn of rope in her hands, and she knew she was right. A girl belongs by the water.
Of course, that didn't mean she never lost her patience with the sport.
Some days it did seem that all she could do was sit and think, and the faint reminder of that high was all she had to hold on to. Today just happened to be one of those days.
In the absence of excitement, Aladari leaned back lax in her seat on the edge of the dock with her back against her sack full of supplies so she could watch Syna rise. As the sun made its painfully slow trek, Aladari let herself fall into a daydream about Isur-sized fish for fry, and a boat so smooth on the water it felt like flying. It was all rather peaceful for the first few ticks, just sharing headspace with Syna and Laviku. Then came the humans.
"An' I told him!" The sailor howled with laughter.
"That's that kinda discount whore!" He continued to whoop and snort his way down the dock, his companion clapping his back in an equal state of hilarity.
"That's whatcha get. Hmm, that's what I told him." The voice trailed off as he neared the fisherwoman at the end of the dock. "Aye!" He barked, already beginning to giggle again. "There's that whore now!"
Aladari closed her eyes tightly, as if it might render her invisible to the offenders. Unfortunately for her,
It would do no such thing. A hand on her shoulder reassured her of this.
"Aye, I'm talkin' to you, little one." He whispered near her head in a single heavy, alcohol-laced breath.
Little one?! Aladari couldn't keep her eyes from slamming open to glare at the man. A hot breath made its way out through her nose in a tense snort not unlike a bull's.
"Oh, there she is." Crooked teeth grinned down at her. "Hey, Potter! She's not even dead yet. Could be a good one, huh?"
"Please, Sir." She said through gritted teeth, "I'm workin' 'ere, an' yer scarin' all my fishes away."
The man recoiled as if he'd been hit. For a tick, he feined offense, but then his facade crumbled into laughter. "Oh, we're scarin' away your fish? You sure you ain't just a bad fisher, huh?"
That, naturally, was the last straw. Her eyes flashed an unnatural black darker than night, and her jaw clenched. But after the initial flare or anger, a plan hatched, and she forced herself to loosen her muscles.
"Maybe I am." She agreed with a sigh. "Maybe you two could learn me somethin', though? An' then I could give you somethin' in return?" She hoped desperately that he would pick up on the hint, as flirting was never her forte. Of course, when the idea was already on his mind, it was much easier to suggest.
Word Count516
